United Airlines

This is the first time I have flown United in a while. Apparently I was on a new plane and flew economy. I will never fly United again. I'm not a big person by any stretch and I could barely use my laptop on the table and had to literally squeeze my elbows together and was still touching the passengers to the left and to the right. (I was in the middle.) Awful experience.

I am 5'3" tall and weigh 120 pounds. My husband (6' tall) and I were in Row 11. There was absolutely no leg room. What's worse is that the seats did not recline. After a three-hour flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago (followed by another flight from Chicago to Burlington VT) my back was in so much pain that I couldn't walk. (During our layover at O'Hare I asked the gate attendant if we could move to more comfortable seats and she said "I don't think any of the seats on these planes are comfortable."

Recommend that travelers avoid flying on a transPacific United 747-400 at least on the equipment between SFO and Hong Kong. We just ended a miserable flight. United's 'Economy Plus' option means that for a family not able to upgrade to that (to afford it) you are now put in the 'Economy Minus' seats - meaning the least leg room on any flight in our memory. It seems United gives the plus legroom to the Economy Plus but then actually does subtract the legroom from the poor folks back in cattle class. And the biggest shock wave to wash over our teenagers was 'no individual screens' - OK so they are spoiled and so are we. But that was a step back.

Premium Economy seat on long-haul (11 + hour) flight on United. which means simply an 'extra legroom' seat. you are in the same economy cabin - no separate cabin same food service etc. I will only say that the only way to fly in some sort of economy comfort is to pay the additional $ for one of the extra-legroom seats - even with a full flight that extra leg space makes all the difference. I have traveled the same flight for many past years in regular economy and there is absolutely no such thing as 'comfort' - especially when the flight is fully booked.

United Express CRJ 700 SEATS 7C/D are better than first class seats. United Express has reconfigured the cabin where particularly row 2 in first class has a very tight pitch no direct window access. Premium Economy seats 7C/D have better legroom equal underseat storage (under the first class seats) and a window.

The seat on this particular aircraft was rather dismal. I understand these seats were not designed for people who stand at 6'3 but I had to cross my legs in this seat otherwise my knees would have been crushed by the seat in front. I have flown with United multiple times and will continue to do so as they provide fantastic service however I actively avoid picking flights that fly the 757. Its narrow claustrophobic out of date and should only be used on small 2-4 hour flights - not transatlantic routes! My experience with other airlines on the B757 have been very similar.

From YEA (Edmonton Canada) we have only one economic option that gets us to IAH and in time to make connections into Central America and it is UA. To their credit they usually leave and arrive back here on time and in the 8 trips we have made they have not lost luggage (though they did damage 2 pieces. The single most common complaint about UA from here is that they fly A320 and A319 Airbus aircraft set up for short haul commuter routes like Boston to New York on this 4.75 hour long haul to Houston. There are no seat entertainment options; not even headphone jacks. Food service is minimal though once we were served a breakfast bun. This poor service flies in the face of that which we receive on our connecting flights to Central America which all include seat back entertainment systems and audio options and usually include a snack/meal even though they are shorter flights (4 hours to Panama). I don't get where UA draws the line on service and aircraft selection - perhaps it is because they figure Canadians are not complainers and will make do with handmedown soon to be retired aircraft and barebones service. Sorry guys but sitting next to a 275 pound guy crammed into a middle seat with so little room that he had to wrap his knees around the seat in front of him for 4+ hours has pushed my buttons hard enough that I am complaining this time. These flights are full and we pay the same money as everyone else; it is about time you get with the program and treat your long haul Canadian customers with some basic respect.

The seats were so hard and uncomfortable that neither my husband nor I could relax much less sleep. The other person sitting in our row experienced the same discomfort. The recline angle of the seat was very small and the actual seat was hard as a board. Horrible horrible flights to and from San Diego from Dulles Airport (DC). I vow never to fly United Again.

New seats are very small too short to accommodate most passengers' posteriors; less total leg room many passengers had their knees jammed against the seat in front of them. Seat pocket is essentially non-existent a tiny net would not hold my iPad. Tray table is smaller not enough room for a United snack box and a drink. Armrests are half the width; no lumbar support on seat back thin padding. I felt unstable in the seat especially if the plane made a turn. I felt I needed to keep the belt fastened the entire flight to stay in the seat.

The Economy Plus seat I was charged extra for had NO additional leg room over the standard coach seat on the same flight. The first time I have seen this happen.